On 9 and 10 June, the Museum of Ceramics organized the first Napoleonic Picnic in Bolesławiec. The event took place on the Bóbr River, next to the railway viaduct. It was near this very spot that, in 1813, French troops retreating from our town fought a battle against the forces of the Prussian-Russian coalition while defending the bridge over the Bóbr.
On Saturday evening, a bivouac from the Napoleonic period was set up. Visitors could meet fully armed soldiers and see equipment and items of military kit. On Sunday, soldiers in Napoleonic-era uniforms marched through the town center. They handed out information leaflets, inviting residents to a historical performance.
The reenactment took place on the Bóbr River. The performance began with a demonstration of recruit training and drill. At around 3 p.m., the main attraction of the event began—the reconstruction of the 1813 battle on the Bóbr. History enthusiasts from Krotoszyce, Sobótka and Kłodzko, as well as residents of Bolesławiec, took part in the reenactment—a total of more than 50 people.
The soldiers fought with great determination, using replicas of black-powder weapons and cannons. The gunfire could be heard several kilometers away. Wounded soldiers in the battle were cared for by students of Municipal Gymnasium No. 2 dressed in peasant clothing. This referenced historical events immortalized in Carl Marr’s famous painting “Bolesławiec Children,” which depicts young residents of the town caring for French soldiers wounded after the battle.
One of the attractions of the display was the opportunity to sample soldiers’ kitchen dishes free of charge. Participants also had another surprise in store—a presentation of a free Napoleonic comic book in two language versions: Polish and German. The comic depicts events that took place in Bolesławiec during the Napoleonic Wars. The free publication is still available at the Museum of Ceramics in Bolesławiec.
The event attracted crowds of residents and tourists. Perhaps the idea of the Napoleonic Picnic will be continued in the coming years, especially since 2013 marks the bicentenary of the Napoleonic campaign.
(information: Museum of Ceramics in Bolesławiec/ii)